


No Mere Mundane Deer

by PaulaMcG



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Animagus, Christmas, Christmas Music, F/F, Hogwarts, Ice Skating, Kissing, References to the Marauders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28406598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaulaMcG/pseuds/PaulaMcG
Summary: While Poppy's just thrilled to be taking her out, some more or less magical animals affect Minerva's mood.
Relationships: Minerva McGonagall/Poppy Pomfrey
Comments: 14
Kudos: 16
Collections: Rare Pair Shorts Festive Fun Fest 2020





	No Mere Mundane Deer

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was written for Festive Fun Fest at Livejournal and Dreamwidth community [Rare Pair Shorts](https://rarepair-shorts.livejournal.com/). The prompts I selected at random were: _reindeer_ , and _I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day by Wizzard_ – a song recorded by a British glam rock band in 1973. This is just a glimpse of the two witches in the mid-1970s, with no serious depth in the characterisations, I'm afraid, and there are references to my more regular main characters as teenagers.

Having left the empty hospital wing behind, Poppy feels like a young girl when she rushes out through the oak doors, breathing in the crisp air. She's glad she ventured to ask her sweetheart out as soon as the topic of winter sports came up at the staff table a couple of days ago.

Now finally walking beside Minerva towards the frozen lake, she can't stop singing aloud what's been stuck in her head all through the last week of the term. “When the kids start singing and...”

"I've heard enough of that silly tune!" A frown like a storm cloud darkens Minerva's handsome features, while the low late-afternoon sun makes the landscape sparkle.

"But the song's so fitting! At least the line about skating in the park."

"The Muggle-born students whistling it..." Minerva mutters. "Maybe I just hate kids. Not the Muggle-born ones more than others, mind. Or even the most stupid ones. No, it's that pair of brilliant rebels from pure-blood families and their taggers-along that I can't put up with."

Poppy tries to soothe Minerva's mind by not disagreeing – and by reminding her, "It is a relief to be rid of almost all the kids until the end of the holidays."

But Minerva spits out, ever more vexed, "Particularly that band of four Gryffindor boys!"

"Why don't you tell me..." Poppy moves her skates under her other arm and clasps Minerva's hand.

"All right." Minerva launches into an explanation and pulls Poppy along to walk more briskly. "Late last night they made me appear... shamefully undignified. I had enjoyed a walk outside as... you know, in my other form. And I had just slunk in through the window I'd left open – when there was a big fat rat sicced on me! I lost control and transformed back, and there they were all four, laughing at me." Now Minerva's cheeks have turned rosy, perhaps not only from the cold, and that makes her look so gorgeous that Poppy can barely refrain from kissing her at once while she's still ranting. "I even made the mistake to give them detention, which I had to cancel the next moment, as I realised I didn't want to keep them here a day longer – or to be reminded of this after New Year's. They are... an eight-legged menace!"

They've reached the shore, and Minerva transfigures a fallen branch into a comfortable bench. Poppy knows not to do more than place a hand on her shoulder for a moment when sitting down beside her. 

Now focused on lacing her skates, Minerva huffs, "Tight. Remember. They must be tight at the ankles."

Poppy decides to wait for a better opportunity to say that she's become rather fond of those boys, especially of her regular patient, as he's unexpectedly stopped mauling himself in the most repulsive way. And of the boy whom she's started calling the white sheep of the Black family after spying him snuggled under the patient's covers.

She'll keep the poor, brave boy's new secret, too, just as the nature of her and Minerva's closeness must remain known only to their gay community. And no, while Minerva certainly also admires at least some members of that gang, her current mood won't be improved by any talk about them. 

"They are gone for now, so forget all about them!" Perhaps even that was less than beneficial to holiday cheer, but Poppy can't resist teasing Minerva a bit more by still singing, "I wish it could be Christmas every day."

Minerva's stood up. But before moving out to the lake, she turns and bends over Poppy to fix her scarf – and wraps it first over her mouth, and only then, grinning, pulls it down to her chin.

Now she's already gliding on the ice, and swirling with abandon, looking all relaxed. Poppy's doing her best to keep up with her, but the ex-Chaser is clearly the more skilful one at skating, too.

Attempting a pirouette, Poppy's about to lose her balance, and Minerva's quick to catch her in strong arms. They both burst into laughter, hugging each other.

But now Minerva shushes Poppy, peering over her shoulder towards the woods. "I think I saw a pair of antlers," she whispers. "You know, out here I've seen some pleasant-looking animals, too, who don't fear cats as much as humans. Perhaps there's a stag here again."

Poppy turns her head, holding her breath. And she hears something from above. A merry jingling.

She gasps, as she has managed to shift her gaze in time towards the clouds, where the last orange rays of sunset catch swiftly moving shapes. "No. Look up! Those antlers you saw... Now the reindeer are back in flight, taking the sleigh along the Milky Way. No mere mundane deer here, I'm sure."

"No. You make me see how perfectly marvellous it all is..." Minerva's mouth touches Poppy's cheek, and the rest of her words are spoken against Poppy's lips, which have parted in happy anticipation. "Simply magical! Happy enchanted Christmas to us, Poppy!"


End file.
